There was a moment of silence that fell between the two, as Mikasa felt a wave of relief run through her like a tidal wave. Just hearing the two simple words "I'll stay"...the exact words she craved so badly to hear from Eren…and never got to. All those years of chasing behind Eren, whether it be towards that tree as kids, or flying on ODM Gear as cadets…or even as soldiers...Eren was always far ahead of Mikasa. And when he finally decided to stay with her…he eventually left again anyway. Leaving her and their unborn child alone.
But one thing Mikasa knew for sure, and it was something she took great comfort in...and it was that Armin didn't break promises, his word was far more comforting and reliable than Eren's. Because there was one thing Mikasa always had a guarantee of when it came to herself and Armin. They always had each other's backs, no matter what. And this has been a silent promise between the two since they were kids. With a soft sigh, Mikasa gently squeezed Armin's hand back.
"Thank you..." Her voice was soft, and filled with relief. He allowed the silence to settle comfortably between them for a moment as Mikasa had finished her breakfast. Armin kept his grip on her hand, giving her another reassuring squeeze as he noticed the familiar shift in her features once more, recognizing just what had run through her head in that moment.
Shortly after finishing breakfast, Mikasa scanned the kitchen and noticed supplies were getting low…and she was strangely eager to show Armin this land. They needed some fresh produce, meat or fish, and tea leaves, and she had been craving rice something awful, along with berries. Specifically raspberries. Armin had turned his glance towards where Mikasas had followed, finding the same realization she had as he noticed the mostly barren counters and empty shelves.
"Hey, Armin...would you like to go to the market today..? It's a bit of a ride but...I figured we should stock up" she asked softly.
"Are you well enough to ride? I'm sure you'd love some time out.. but I don't want you pushing yourself either." Armin questioned, cocking a brow as he watched her carefully.
"I should be okay...but I probably should avoid riding if it can be helped within a month or so, considering how big I am already" Mikasa replied softly, placing a hand to her round belly.
Armin frowned…it sickened him to know that Eren had left Mikasa not just by herself in this new land, but whilst carrying his child. How often did Mikasa struggle? How did she deal with morning sickness on her own? Did she really have…no one to care for her since he left? Pondering on it too much made Armin's blood boil, so for now…he focused on helping Mikasa, in the present.
Shortly after, the two exited the cabin, relieved to see the sunny weather after the rainstorm last night. Mikasa approached the stalls, gently fitting a bridle onto her horse's face, and was first to lead her mount out, tacking her up.
Armin followed close behind Mikasa, keeping his eyes fixated on her, finding himself rather obsessive when it came to her safety. While he was mounting his own horse, he would find himself distracted with each sudden movement from her, his protection over her looming much more than he'd like to admit.
"Easy girl..." Mikasa gently patted the blue roan's neck as the horse nodded her head, chewing on her bit.
Not far behind Mikasa, Armin led his stallion out towards her before pulling him to a stop. His hand then moved to run down his neck, then down his legs, checking his soreness from the harsh ride before. He then moved to tighten the saddle he had just thrown onto the horse's back, pulling its cinch into place as the palomino bobbed his head and yawned, shaking the hay from his shaved mane.
"Good morning boy.. glad you got a good night's rest," Armin commented softly towards his mount, moving to scratch one of his ears as he leaned his head towards him, snorting softly.
"I really hope..wherever Eren is, he's taking care of Falcon.." Mikasa admitted out loud, remembering the dark bay Stallion that slept in the stall Armin's Palomino stayed in now. Armin then turned his head towards Mikasa, noticing her out loud thinking again.
Using a little stepping stool she found, Mikasa pulled herself up into the saddle. There was a small grunt of effort that escaped her, with her stomach getting so heavy, but she managed okay, patting her mount again, holding onto the reins as she waited for Armin to saddle up next.
Despite how hopeless Eren was proving to be, Armin knew that Mikasa would have a hard time letting any of this go between them. It was painful, and Armin knew that this pain was emotionally driven.. but he knew that he had to allow her the proper time to process, especially if it meant for her well-being. Slowly, Armin moved to force a smile on his lips, patting his mount's neck before pulling himself into the saddle, and settling in its seat.
"You know Eren always had good intentions with his horses. Even when we were all in the scouts. I'm sure Falcon is okay."
"I hope so...his intentions...well...they don't seem very clear anymore" Mikasa admitted worriedly.
Using a little stepping stool she found, Mikasa pulled herself up into the saddle. There was a small grunt of effort that escaped her, with her stomach getting so heavy, but she managed okay. Armin watched her worriedly, ensuring she didn't lose balance or hurt herself. Mikasa gave him an assuring smile, before patting her horse again, holding onto the reins.
Once Mikasa was saddled, they began their trip to town. Mikasa took the lead, riding only slightly ahead. The ride to town was a rather pretty route. A stone paved road, with beautiful trees on either end. They passed a decently sized farm on the way, from the road they could see a herd of cattle and some horses in the pasture. There were also sounds from chickens, and a dog of herding breed could be seen much further in on the property, circling around and herding some Merino sheep.
This area was definitely different from Paradis. It seemed more like Marley, except less city like and more country. And most notable, not a titan in sight either. There were no walls, and it seemed like there were absolutely no threats of war or titans on this land. Where exactly was this place? It also made Armin come to a chilling realization. Was Paradis…and Marley…the only two places in the world dealing with both the threat and knowledge of Titans? Could it be possible…the rest of the world not only never had to deal with Titans…but had absolutely no knowledge of them? If that was the case…then that meant…most of humanity was completely fine. Thriving even. Not wiped out like they had been led to believe. The Walls on Paradis were constructed to keep Titans out…the only threat of Titans they had was on that very island. If they had been able to just leave..by air or by sea…this could have been over. But even Armin knew at this point..those walls weren't designed to keep Titans out. They were made to keep the Eldians in…isolated from the world. As if Mikasa had been reading his mind, she spoke up, snapping Armin out of his deep thoughts.
"Don't worry...there aren't any titans here. You'd...actually be surprised how much of the world isn't even inhabited by them...according to Eren anyway" she assured, realizing she never really gave Armin a proper description of where they even were.
They trotted more down the path, passing a field of blue flowers and a beautiful creek. Armin didn't answer at first, realizing that he wasn't sure of Eren's intentions either, especially after leaving someone so close to him. Many years ago, Armin would confidently speak on Erens loyalty to his friends and the scouts… but now… everything seemed to be a blur. He barely recognized his childhood friend, and that alone was a harsh sting to his reality.
"Where exactly is this, Mikasa?" he finally responded with a question as the two continued their ride.
"I think Eren called it Switzerland…I can't remember for certain. But its far from any of the chaos of Paradis or Marley" Mikasa replied softly.
As they continued their way into town, the two fell silent for most of the trip, only keeping small conversation here and there, simply due to Mikasa's quiet nature. Armin did always enjoy when they were riding together though, there was always a sense of peace within their silence. His mount bobbed his head as they rode, snorting softly as the two continued into the small village.
"Even after all of this time… Titans are still so confusing to me. Hell… even the world is still so confusing to me. I've been met with what humanity is capable of.. and the worst part is..? The Titans aren't the biggest threat, not anymore. So much has happened Mikasa.. so much has changed." Armin explained, shaking his head a bit as he turned his glance towards another field of flowers before them, allowing his horse to naturally follow the path.
"It's beautiful out this way though. I'm glad to see it's not destroyed by Titans."
"According to Eren...titans are only a problem on Paradis...and all of Marley's titans are holders, at least in their army..." Mikasa looked over at a horse ranch they were passing.
"As far as here though…it's so far from everything out that way...it's free. The people here don't even know about the Titans..." Mikasa fell quiet as her thoughts began to race anxiously.
What was Eren planning? Would he ever return? How did he even know of this paradise, free of titans and war? Did he see it in his memories…? It made Mikasa wonder…how much of the future was Eren able to see? Every single detail, or just vague images? Armin's last comment about things changing did catch her attention though, and after some more minutes of quiet, she decided to ask.
"What's been going on over there...?"
Armin nodded softly at her explanation, seemingly knowing a lot more about this discovery than he would like to admit.
"Eren seems to be right about that. But it isn't as basic as Titans on Paradis." Armin began, turning his head down towards his mount, his hand moving down to pat his neck gently.
"An outright civil war amongst three classes of people. If we weren't worrying about the Marleyans, we're worried about the Jaegerists. I feel as if I've had to kill more humans than I have titans, and I hate to say this but… I wish we were back in time where we were all fresh from training, and our tasks were so much more simple." Armin explained, a sense of hopelessness in his words as they continued their ride, allowing his words to linger in silence for a moment.
"We're blamed for something none of us have done.. I have seen hatred in its purest form, as well as my own comrades turning over to the Jaegerists. Both sides think that they are doing right by the world, and mass slaughter is all for the better good. Throughout everything… I was just glad that you hadn't been at the face of this all." Armin's voice continued to lower with sadness the longer he spoke, his voice trailing off when it had gotten too hard to continue. Slowly, he gave a small sigh, letting his head drop slightly.
"Whatever Erens plans are… I hope he steers clear of Marley…it's bad enough that war has resumed with them. If he were to show his face, it would ultimately prove his lie, and Marley would assume all of Paradis made up that story…" Armin mumbled under his breath, closing his eyes as he hoped he hadn't jinxed himself with his comment.
Mikasa listened quietly to everything Armin was saying. She wasn't too surprised about the civil war part, but still, she had hoped it wouldn't have come to that. She also…sadly wasn't surprised about the Jaegerists. From the moment they showed up to meet with Eren and Mikasa on the shore of this island, she didn't trust them at all. Especially with Floch seemingly leading them. And she couldn't understand why Eren would trust him of all people to fabricate the story of their 'deaths'. As the two rode down the path, a small town finally came into view.
The town had cobblestone streets, and two rows of hitching posts with water troughs were lined up at the entrance of the town for travelers' horses. A few mounts were already tethered to some of the posts. The town itself consisted mostly of little market stands. Fresh produce, a butcher that sold meat from local cattle, sheep, and fish, and another stand that sold eggs and milk. There was even a bread stand that sold fresh rolls and some baked goods such as pie and cookies.
Apart from the markets, there was a small saloon, what looked like some sort of book store, as well as a doctor's office. There was also a lumber store, some sort of small police station with a jail inside, a bank and a post office. It was a simple little town, which had a small population of ranch folk.
Armin remained silent for the rest of the ride, his own mind wandering through numerous conflicts he had met himself with in the span of the 24 hours he had been here. Within such a fast time frame, Armin had become a military criminal, and had left many of his comrades, initially over a letter he truly had no right to trust. Now.. he had to stick close to his friend, whose appearance had opened a whole new emotional trainwreck that had been keeping up late at night.
He heaved a sigh, turning his focus to the town as they entered. His short blonde hair blew in the gentle wind as the horses' hooves clopped against the cobblestone paths beneath them. His mount had seemed pleased to be in such a peaceful village, shaking out his mane as his tail swished, snorting softly as he took in the warm smells from the market.
"This is Sage...they've honestly been very welcoming" Mikasa introduced the name of the town as they rode up to the hitching posts. She waited for Armin to hitch up, before quietly extending her hand, needing some help down.
"I have to give it to Eren.. he found you guys a really nice place out here. It's… much more reassuring knowing that you were hidden safely from all of the conflict." Armin finally responded as he dismounted his horse, hitching him up before he reached his hand out, allowing her to grab on. He then moved to gently pull her off, using his strength to ease her down off of the horse and onto her feet, patting her mare's back end in praise.
"I'm not entirely sure how he found this place...but I'm glad he did..." Mikasa responded a bit breathlessly once she was down off her horse. The mare nodded her head before lowering it to drink from the water trough.
The two made their way into the town, passing some of the markets as Mikasa collected a shopping wicker basket that were free for shoppers to use. As she purchased items, getting something from each stand. She picked up some fresh salmon, a bag of rice, some berries, ingredients for stew, some bread and tea leaves. Being able to shop with Armin again, she couldn't help but feel nostalgia.
Armin followed close by Mikasa's side, allowing her an arm to lean on if the walk had gotten to be too much. As she walked through the stands purchasing her much needed supplies, Armin studied through the homemade goods and small crafts laid neatly throughout the stands. He would wave politely at some of the merchants, who greeted him back with a warm smile and a foreign greeting in their native tongue, some able to speak limited English.
"This reminds me of when we were kids..how you, Eren and I used to shop in Shiganshina" Mikasa admitted with a sad smile.
As they continued, Armin felt that same sense of nostalgia fall over him. It was a bittersweet moment, going back to the time when they were kids, enjoying the markets and people, indulging in the sense of community they had, even in times of crisis. That same smile fell upon Armins features as he shook his head a bit, giving a small laugh.
"Eren and I would always find some way to get ourselves in trouble. And you'd always be right there to save our asses. I miss when life was so much more simpler…" Armin continued smiled softly, thinking back to those simpler times.
"I sometimes still wish we could just go back to those times.." she admitted sadly, as she got the last of her supplies, which included some eggs and a bottle of milk.
Before long, the two made their way back to the horses, stored the supplies in two sacks that could easily be tied to the blue roan's saddle. The ride back home was quiet and uneventful, and the pair returned to the cabin just in time to beat another rain storm. The horses were put in the warm, dry stables and resting.
Mikasa laid out some ingredients for dinner in the kitchen, which included fish, rice, and ingredients for a stew. The rain pounded on the cabin roof, as Mikasa chopped some vegetables on the counter.
While Mikasa tended to dinner, Armin had spent the time tidying up the house here and there, allowing her to focus on one task at a time. As he wandered the house cleaning up, his glance always moved to watch Mikasa carefully, studying her gently as she quietly tended to the vegetables.
Although he was mostly doing this to ensure she wasn't pushing herself and the baby too much, part of him as well had found the time to simply study her in such a natural and domestic beauty. The last time that they had spoke, Mikasa's hair was cut short enough to keep her safe from her work in the scouts. Now though, she was able to embrace the hair she enjoyed much more, and it added such a soft touch to her already perfectly sculpted face. With bangs that structured her face beautifully, and long black hair that hung low even when it was tied back.
Armin smiled gently to himself, allowing his glance to pull from her for a moment as he moved to go make the bed, tidying the corners of the quilt carefully. He felt his cheeks grow warm as he continued to work, but attempted to brush it off as it being from the heat radiating from the stove.
Mikasa could feel Armin's gaze off and on, and she had to admit it made her feel a sense of comfort, knowing Armin was here and watching over her. Something about his presence just made her feel...safe. As she finished chopping the vegetables, she filled the pot of stew with them, turning the heat down slightly to allow it to slow cook, as she got started on the rice.
Once dinner was finally finished, the two ate quietly for the most part, enjoying the cooked salmon with the bowl of rice, and a smaller bowl of stew with a small roll of bread in the corner for each of them. The rain seemed to pour harder outside, and the temperature dropped significantly as a low rumble of thunder could be heard.
Armin had lingered happily in the silence during their meals, always knowing that Mikasa was a woman of few words. It was peaceful, and something entirely different to his way of life back in Paradis. For months on end, overseas was where he was barely able to catch any rest. Either he was working out missions with his commanders, or the sheer fear of your bunkmate turning against you and killing you in your sleep had always had its way of keeping him in defensive mode. Whatever rest he did get, it surely wasn't anything good.
After dinner was finished, after Armin and Mikasa washed the dishes together, engaging in small conversation during it, it eventually got later in the night. Mikasa retired to the bedroom, but as she sat down on the soft bed, pulling her warm and soft pink cardigan off her shoulders, she looked up at Armin as he entered the room. Armin had made his way into the bedroom shortly after, setting down a pile of folded blankets on the chair beside the bed. He turned his focus to Mikasa, noticing her somewhat anxious expression.
"Where did you sleep last night, Armin?" She asked curiously as she adjusted her pillows, doing whatever she could to delay going to bed. The truth was...she didn't want to sleep alone. Not alone in the room...or alone in the bed. She could feel herself shivering a bit, and her own anxiety rising at the thought of sleeping alone again.
Armin cocked a brow, gently moving to sit in the bed beside her, hoping that his presence would help her settle some, especially with the baby typically getting active around this hour.
"I didn't sleep last night, I just helped clean up around the property while you rested. Why? I didn't keep you up did I?" Armin questioned, turning to watch as she had fluffed her pillows until they weren't able to be fluffed anymore.
"Is the baby bothering you, Mikasa? You seem to be doing a lot of adjusting tonight. Maybe we should go back to the market and find you something.. the further you get along I'm sure the harder it is to sleep peacefully." He questioned as he watched her, standing up and helping her out as best he could.
As he leaned over, his hand accidentally fell onto hers, but naturally gripped onto her fingers carefully as he adjusted the pillows once more, before finally pulling away slowly, looking down at her softly, hesitantly pulling his hand away from hers.
Mikasa felt a rush of relief as she felt Armins hand grip her own. She looked down softly, using her free hand to gently rub her swollen belly. The baby had been kicking quite a bit...but as soon as Armins hand gripped her and she relaxed...the baby relaxed with her.
"Actually...I think the baby might be fond of you..." Mikasa admitted softly, as she felt the normally persistent kicking cease almost instantly. She bit her lip before asking the next question.
"You didn't keep me up...I was..wondering though...where you're sleeping tonight...?" She asked, trying her best to hide the anxiety in her voice.
Armin cocked a brow, realizing that she had resulted to her usual questioning, which she often used to put off asking for something she had needed. Armin looked down at her swollen abdomen, carefully sitting down beside her as his hand had reached out to caress it gently, allowing his palms to trace its shape.
"I've grown quite fond of the baby myself… I'm really excited to be here when they come into the world." Armin responded warmly, giving her a smile as his hand remained peacefully caressing her stomach.
Finally, he pondered on her question a moment, recognizing the underlying need she had expressed, which proved itself by the slight crack in her voice. Slowly, Armin turned his glance towards the chair, sighing softly as he decided to remain honest with her.
"I had no intention of sleeping anywhere. I was just going to rest in the chair beside you if I had gotten tired, before tending to the morning chores hopefully before you wake up." Armin replied softly, gently giving her a warm smile. "Either way, you know I won't be far from you."
Mikasa looked down softly, finding herself tiredly starting to lean against Armin. She felt her eyelids growing heavy, as she gently gripped Armin's hand, pulling it slightly towards her.
"Can you...um...sleep...in bed...with me...? It's..going to get really cold tonight..." She tried desperately to search for a rational reason for the sudden and odd request...but in truth...she felt safe with Armin...and felt like she would get much better sleep if he was laying beside her.
Armin immediately felt a warmth flush to his cheeks at her response, as his glance moved to focus on her, while his arms moved to gently wrap around her, pulling her into a soft embrace. Requests like this were little to nothing when it came to Mikasa, and Armin could hear her loneliness through the softness in her voice. She had clung hard, and it broke Armins heart. The one thing she had wanted, was someone to stick close with her, for as long as they were able to. Eren, the one she had believed to be her soulmate, couldn't keep that promise to her… and now, she was lost and alone. It shattered Armin, and part of him wished she would have seen the issues with Eren before she was broken like this.. part of him.. wanted her to see how capable he was at loving her, protecting her..
"Of course, Mikasa. I'll sleep right beside you.. and I'll keep you warm for tonight. I promise I won't go anywhere." Armin replied without hesitation, as he gently moved to brush a piece of hair from her face, before gently cradling her.
He then moved to lay her against the soft pillows, pulling the quilt over her. Armin then worked quickly at his own preparations for rest, before carefully crawling into the empty side of the bed beside her, using his arm to gently cradle her head.
"I got you… it's okay." Armin reassured softly, allowing his voice to dim to a quiet whisper.
Mikasa instantly melted in Armin's embrace, nuzzling against his chest and sighing softly in relief. Something about this...she needed it so bad. The last several months had been absolute hell..she had been so alone...sleeping in an empty, cold bed...with no one to talk to. Eren had left her so suddenly..and he had done it when she was asleep.
So now...she had horrible fears and anxiety...that she would wake up and be alone all over again...somehow, sooner or later, she always ended up alone. As these thoughts came crashing down, Mikasa felt herself break, clinging tightly onto Armin's shirt, burying her face in his chest, letting the tears fall freely as she couldn't hold back her sobs.
Armin could feel her world crashing around her, simply by the tension in her body as her sobs continued to grow louder. He knew that there was little to no time for her to be able to properly process any of this, not until she had found the safety within his embrace. He continued with his soft reassurances as he held onto her tightly, carefully pressing her body against his, allowing their warmth to collide.
"Your whole world has changed faster than you have been able to process… and it's a lot… but you're my strong girl… you've fought much harder battles… and I know… sometimes we want the battles to end.. but that's just not the way life had intended for us to live…" Armin began as she had grown quieter, his hand gently moving to wipe the tears from her eyes, before carefully cupping her cheek in his hand.
"But you don't have to fight this alone.. I won't be going anywhere.. we'll fight through this battle together… and we can rest under that same tree once we win… under the warm sun once more… I won't be leaving your side.. ever.. and you know I don't break my promises."
Mikasa looked up slightly at Armin as he spoke, feeling a heavy sense of reassurance in his words. She wanted nothing more than that...just to be under that tree with Armin and Eren again, she wanted to go back to when they were children, safe behind the walls. As the rain continued to pound on the roof, Mikasa found her body relaxing in Armins embrace, her eyelids growing heavy. She had exhausted herself, and slowly she was feeling sleep overtake her.
As Mikasa drifted off, Armin remained awake for a little while longer, holding her close as his thoughts seemed to travel far. As nice as this was…they weren't kids anymore. So sharing the same bed…even with the purest of intentions…felt different. And the persistent warmness in Armin's face refused to ease up for the rest of the night.
Armin smiled warmly down at her, allowing her a sense of safety as she had carefully settled against his grasp. His hand then moved to caress her cheek once more, feeling her body melt against his warmth.
"Dream of that tree… feel the warmth… allow your body to fall limp… even the strongest of warriors have to rest…" Armin whispered softly, allowing the gentle pattern of the rain drip down the window. Slowly, as sleep began to take over Mikasa, Armin finally allowed his own body to melt against the sheets. As his eyes grew heavy, his grasp remained tightly held onto Mikasa, as he finally found himself drifting off fully into a peaceful sleep.